


The Dragon's Song

by SC (plushulala)



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Angst, Gen, Humor, Minor Character Death, POV First Person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-10-16
Updated: 2010-10-16
Packaged: 2017-10-12 17:31:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/127268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/plushulala/pseuds/SC
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Originally posted to fanfiction.net in 2007, The Dragon's Song is a series of drabbles told from Iroh's point-of-view.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Dragon's Song

My son, barely old enough to count to one hundred, attempts, for the first time, to release a simple flame from his fingertips. His stance is wobbly, his breathe uneven, so I know, before he finishes his demonstration, that he will only be able to create a tiny spark.

Fiercely determined, Lu Ten has always been undaunted by failure.

At the sight of Lu Ten's spark, Father nods but offers no praise.

"Childhood is a time to make mistakes," I tell my father, careful to keep my tone calm and respectful, hoping he'll understand.

"Not in the Firelord's House."

\---

"The blade slipped in easily, bypassing the bone. Prince Lu Ten didn't even scream. Not until his blood flowed, did any of us realize he'd been cut. By then, it was too late."

I listen as the officer who witnessed the death of my only child recants his demise. Wearing a straight, sad face, he finishes with, "Prince Lu Ten went down fighting, Sir."

Life has become nothing but a tedious strain of pointless days since my beloved son left this world.

Sometimes I get so tired of holding onto reality, I just want to let go.

\---

After the death of my son, I feel I do not belong anywhere. I'm afraid of what will happen to me now that Lu Ten is gone. My purpose – my dream to rule the Fire Nation with Lu Ten as my successor has been lost.

"Where are you going, General?" a soldier asks. Regrettably, I do not know this man's name.

"For a walk," I mumble as I wander away from the battle field.

"What about the siege, Sir?"

I don't bother to answer his question. When he asks it again, I simply shrug him off and press forward.

\---

As I roam the Earth Kingdom looking for something to do – something that will keep me out of the Fire Nation for just a while longer – I get word that Firelord Azulon has passed. My brother is snugly seated on my throne.

Since Ozai wanted the Firelord's reing so badly that he felt he needed to steal my birth right from me, he can have it. When I die, the Firelord's reign will default to him, anyway. Why contest the inevitable? Life's too short. I've left the carnage of war and the thirst power far behind.

\---

As I enter the great hall of the Fire Palace, I am not surprised to find that Zuko and only Zuko is waiting to greet me. Azula and Ozai are nowhere to be found.

Zuko, looking handsome in a crisp gray and red Fire Nation uniform, offers me a smile and a graceful bow while guardsmen who line the corridor look on.

"Welcome home, Uncle," he chimes.

Even though he is now the heir to the throne, he kindly shows me respect by offering another gracious bow when, in fact, it is I who should be bowing down to him.

\---

As the men fall in line under a single command from me, I am quick to note that their loyalty to me, even though I abandoned the siege at Ba Sing Se and returned home a failure, is as unwavering as it has ever been.

I watch from behind as my thirteen year old nephew, Zuko, head clean shaven, ponytail gone, stares at the uncaring metal deck beneath his feet, mourning the loss of his honor, his home, his way of life, and wonder if these men will show Zuko, the son of Ozai, the same loyalty they've shown me.

\---

I remind my young nephew that tonight is Music Night. Then I remind him that he promised to play the Sungi Horn. Zuko, never one to break a promise, mutters that he'll play only one song and that, under no circumstances, will he take requests.

"You promised we could go shopping,"

He denies making this promise, probably because he never made it in the first place, and, before he can yell at me, I remind him of his promise to never treat his uncle poorly. He made that promise when he was three. I intend to hold him to it.

\---

"I can't believe you got me drunk and talked me into this," comes his steel-tempered voice.

"Prince Zuko... You deserve a day of relaxation."

"We're at a day spa for women, Uncle!"

"You should enjoy yourself."

"Uncle, I'm buried up to my neck in mud. I HAVE CUCUMBER SLICES ON MY EYES!"

"Prince Zuko. After you have soaked for an hour, your skin will feel as soft as a baby's bottom."

"You'll have to fight the men off with a stick," Jee crows.

Jee lets out a booming laugh at Zuko's discomfort. They've become such good friends.

\---

As we wait for those pirates to return, I stand idly by, observing, while Zuko again demands that the Waterbender tell him where the Avatar is.

I find her volatile response, a stirring use of profanity that I did not think I'd ever hear come from any girl's mouth, mildly entertaining. Zuko, however, is not amused.

As Zuko stands, gnashing his teeth together, fists clinched in rage, breathing smoke out of his nostrils, I tell him that this scare tactic did not work with those three-year-olds he interrogated at our last port-of-call. I doubt it would work with her.

\---

Growling and looking scary, Zuko stalks around this modest tea shop I've been mingling in over the past two hours.

"That's my nephew," I say proudly to an elderly woman who backs nervously away from Zuko when he starts waving his hands around and demanding that someone in this place tell him where the Avatar is. "He's harmless."

"We're leaving! Enough Pai Sho!"

"But, Prince Zuko! This is only my twenty-second round!"

"Stop whining! You have a gambling problem, Uncle!"

"I don't have a gambling problem, Prince Zuko. Gambling's only a problem for those who lose. I always win."

\---

Having no other alternatives or rather, having lost a bet to his dear old uncle, Prince Zuko stomps around the ship, barking orders, yelling at everyone, and cursing my name...

In a dress.

Zuko said some very unpleasant things yesterday when the tile hit the ground and the Lotus flower stared up at him

He should have never called "face down".

After losing a "Best 8 Out of 15" toss-off, he charged that my Lotus tile is weighted. "This is why you win every bet, Uncle!"

It is weighted, but still... He doesn't have to be so nasty about it.

\---

"Zuko, could you - "

"No! It was your idea to pay her your weight in gold, not mine. If you wanna pay her that gold, then you carry it up onto the deck. If she wants to receive her payment, then she can figure out how she's gonna get it off my ship."

"Well, I guess it's true what they say," June reasons. "Every gentleman's a prince but not every prince is a gentleman. No wonder your girlfriend left ya."

"OFF MY SHIP!"

June laughs while Zuko scowls at her. They make such a cute couple.

\---

As I make another move, June groans and removes her shirt.

"I can't believe I let you get me drunk and talk me into playing strip Pai Sho with you, old man!"

I make sure to lose as many games as I win so that I may shed these stuffy robes.

As we're shedding our last pieces of clothing, Zuko storms in. His rant loses steam when he catches sight of two naked Pai Sho players.

"Is there something you need, Prince Zuko?"

"Uncle?! ...Never mind."

Without another word, he leaves.

"Your nephew's weird, old man."

"He's adopted."

\---

On our ship, we keep a community collection pot. Every time Zuko says the word "Avatar", whomever is standing nearest the pot when he says it has to throw a coin into the pot. Jee and I have calculated that we have enough to buy the following things:

\-- An Earth Kingdom village.  
\-- Quality time with lovely woman (for Zuko, of course. He's such the lady's man...)  
\-- Drinks on the house at the next tavern we visit.  
\-- New wardrobes for everyone!  
\-- Therapy for Zuko.  
\-- Therapy for Zuko's therapist.  
\-- Admiral Zhao's soul.  
\-- Four hundred forty-three thousand, two hundred eight six Lotus Tiles.  


And...

A herd of gopher bears.

\---

"Impressed" doesn't come close to describing my feelings about her introductory statements: "My name's Toph. I was born blind but I see with Earthbending. I could feel you hiding behind that rock long before any sighted person could have ever seen you."

"I wouldn't have harmed you," I say.

"I can feel you're telling the truth. It doesn't matter. I doubt you could've hurt me."

A young blind girl, who looks like she's the perfect prey, can crush you with a boulder before you would ever know where was there. Sometimes nature just throws you a curve ball.

\---

"The secret ingredient is love," I tell a few good patrons who ask about my now-famous tea. Zuko informs them that the secret ingredient is, in fact, poison, and he hopes they have their affairs in order, and then he thanks them for their patronage and offers them coupons for free tea.

"What sort of poison?" an amused Dai Li agent who had previously been silent calmly asks.

"If I told you that, it wouldn't be a secret now would it, you oaf?" Zuko huffs.

I'm fortunate to have such a kind and curteous nephew who cares about customer service.

\---

I tell Zuko that Jet is hiding in a bush outside of our apartment window, watching, and then I suggest that we invite him over for tea.

"That should be cozy," Zuko grumbles and I can't help but detect a hint of sarcasm in his voice. "Hey, Jet! Thanks for stalking us since we arrived in the city. Come on over and have some tea! And don't forget to bring your swords!"

After Zuko realizes that I'm right, he throws the tea pot, full of piping hot Jasmine, at Jet and tells him to "Drink up!"

What a kind gesture.

\---

I find it sadly ironic that, in his most desperate time of need, the Avatar, having no other options, has to ask me, the uncle of the person who's been hunting him like an animal for months now, and of the niece who will surely kill him if he doesn't kill her first, for advise.

"Perfection and power are overrated," I say. "I think you are very wise to choose happiness and love."

Some believe that happiness can only be achieved through perfection and power, and love is merely a distraction. The Avatar is more sensible than that, apparently.

\---

Zuko looks back at me with a sad, straight face, confused, maybe even defeated. It is difficult to get into his head long enough to really know what he's feeling.

When I watch his gaze shift between two powerful dragons: His sister and I, I tell him to look into his heart and decide what he truly wants. That was an unfortunate misstep on my part. His decision is a final crushing blow to me.

Instead of saying "You are not the man you use to be," perhaps I should have said, "You're not the man I thought you were."

\---

In and of itself, my cold, drab cell is not so bad. Like clockwork, a quiet, polite Dai Li agent brings me clean water and food, ensuring that I am alive, alert, and healthy when I arrive at the Firelord's door step so that I may fully enjoy my execution.

Azula visits me if only to remind me that she is in total control of the situation. Such a thoughtful niece.

I tell myself that it is because Zuko has escaped Ba Sing Se, not because he is ashamed, that he has never seen fit to pay me a visit.


End file.
